Hold on to your mistletoe, Heavy Metal fans — issue 284, our “Mythic Special,” is headed your way! And when we talk about myths, there’s really no better embodiment of the concept than our own iconic heroine Taarna. Yes, the star of the full length animated Heavy Metal movie (released 35 years ago!) is back. She owns the this issue’s Cover A, as she should, in a painting by Luis Royo.

There are two other covers, though, and they too drip with classic appeal and a sort of rock-art royal authority. Cover B is by Ken Kelly, famous for a couple of Kiss album covers, as well as the covers of numerous Conan, Eerie and Creepy magazines. It depicts a scene from Grant Morrison’s extremely interesting take on an old tale: “Savage Sword of Jesus Christ.” Cover C is a classic sci-fi scene, titled “Pyramid Contact,” by artist Derek Riggs. Iron Maiden fans know him as the creator of the band’s mascot Eddie.

Within the pages of issue 284, you’ll find the aforementioned Jesus story, with Morrison’s plotting expertly visualized by Heavy Metal favorites The Molen Brothers. “Taarna,” in which our heroine makes her return, is a production of Alex de Campi, Tony Parker, and Leonard O’Grady. If our Jesus story hasn’t booked us a reservation in Purgatory, perhaps the techno-occult tale “The Simulationists,” by Duncan Trussell, Donny Cates and Adam Belanger will. The John Bivens/Omar Estevez collaboration “Lil Charlie” is a story about a trio of cuties — an angel, a demon, and death — trying to sort through the nascent and primordial galaxy. Longtime comics fans will love the retro feel of “The Last Mortician” by Tim Hall and Dean Haspiel. The issue ends in wintry creepiness with “Snow Blind” (by Kong and John Bivens) and “The Rabbi,” a story by Jok that draws on Jewish legend.

We have a number of serials continuing in this issue as well: part 2 of tattoo artist Ian Bederman’s trippy “Atomahawk,” part 4 of John Mahoney’s wordless and elegant “Zentropa,” and part 5 of the insect epic “Salsa Invertebraxa” by Mozchops. We’re also proud to launch a new serialized story by longtime contributor Enki Bilal, “The Color of Air,” which picks up (in a way) where his “Julia & Roem” left off. You’ll also find a discussion with surrealist artist Andrew Brandou, and a portfolio of concept designer Peter Mohrbacher.